Improvement in rowing-machines



@uiten tete i etmt @fitte G. W. N. YOST, OF CORRY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASS'IGNOR TO COR-RY MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME IJLAGE.

Letters Patent No, 78,712, dated June 9, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN IlOWING-MAGHINES.

@its Scimmie nient in in tiges sttn's ntut :mh mating part at tige time.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY OGNCERN:

. Be it known that I, (inw. N. YOST, of Corry, Erie county., in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in llIowing-Iilachines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this application.

My invention relates t0 certain new and useful improvements in mowing-machines, and has for its main object the production of' an exceedingly simple and economic inode of construction, in which the fingerebar will remain upon and adapt itself to the uneven surfaces over which it may pass, while the wheels of the machine are in various positions relatively to the cutting-apparatus, and in which the entire cutting-apparatus may be lifted up at the pleasure of the operator (or driver) by a simple device, without in the least changing the relative positions of the eut-terldriving mechanism, or interfering with its operations.

And to these ends my invention consists in hanging the vibratory or swinging ngenbar holder upon the' crank-shaft, whereby I am enabled to vibrate or swing said holder-har (to throw up or drive the whole cutting apparatus) without changing the relative positions of the parts of the euttenmechanism and the driving-crank, as will be presently more'fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to malte and use my invention, I will proceed to describe more fully the construction and operation of one of my improved machines, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which` Figure I is atop View, y

Figure 2 a side elevation, and

Figure 3 a front View ofthe same.

In the several figures the same letters of reference denote the saine parts of this machine.

A A are the main ground and driving-wheels, which are mounted to turn freely in the usual way on the axle I3, and which are provided with internal driving-gears, C C, which engage with and drive respectively two pinions, d (I, on the ends of the main driving-shaft E.

On this shaft, near its centre, is keyed a bcvel-gcar, F, which drives the bevelpinion g on the roar end of the counter-shaft ISI, and this shaft carries, at its forward end, the faceplate z', in which is the crank-pin K, to which isconnected one end of a pitman, L, which is coupled at its other end by a pin, m, to one end of cutterbar N, and by which said cutter-bar i s driven in the usual Way.

O is the finger-bar, 1J the fingers, and Q is the swinging or vibratory holder-bar, to the lower end of which is hung, at 7', the nger-bar, as clearly shown. A

This holder-bar Q is hung on the forivard portion of the crank-shaft II, with a suitable box or bearing arranged between the -front edge of frame I of the machine and the crank-wheel t', as clearly'shown in the drawing, and said holder-bar Q turns freely (as upon a pivot) on said shaft.

S is a toothed segment secured to the frame I, andA having its teeth arranged in the are of a circle, the centre of which is coincident with centre of shaft I'I, (on which bar Q turns,) so that a spur-pinion, T, hung at the end of bar Q, will Work freely in said segment S. This pinion is hung-to turn freely on the inner end of a stud secured fast tothe end of'bar Q, and to the outer end of said stud is fastened the loner end of a handle or bar, U, which is worked by the driver, and by means of which the said bar Q (through the medium of pinion T and segment S) is vibratcd to throw up and let down the cutting-apparatus of the machine.

This device or means of eifectually placing within reach and ready control of the driver the cuttingapparatus, so that he can raise and lower it at will, I deem simple and practical, but of course some other means might be devised and employed without departing from my invention in other particulars.

The boxes for the bearings ot' the main and countershafts I propose to east in or on the frame I, and bush them with suitable brass or other linings or bearings, and may be formed with suitable oil-reservoirs for thc lubrication of thc journals.

P is the tongue and W the drivers seat. The latter is mounted over the rear portion of the frame of the machine by means of a stand, t, secured by a bolt to said frame, and the tongue is'also bolted to said frame,

` and secured to the axle, as clearly shown.

I propose to cast in the frame the two bolts for effecting the fastening of the tongue and seat, so that in applying the seat and tongue it may be necessary only to put these parts in place, and sc-reiv on the neces sary nuts.

It will be seen that making the frame of the machine substantially as shown, andarranging therewith thc shafts and other main parts, as described, the machine is rendered exceedingly light, simple, and economic of construction, while at the same time it is fully eilicient and durable. y And itivill also be observed that by the employment of the swinging bar Q, arranged to turn upon the shaft H, which carries the cranlc-plnte,tl1e raising,r and lowering of the cutting-apparatus by means of said,'or in conjunctioh with said bar, may be accomplishcd readily without changing thc relations of the parts of thc cutter and cutter-driving mechanisms.

In tig. 3, I have illustrated in red lines the different conditions of the' wheels and frame of the machine, (in consequence of thewhecls passing over clevations,) which may vexist without changing the position of the cutting-mechanism, and the entire lifting ofthe cutting-apparatus, by means of thc lever Worked bythe driver, will be readily comprehended by those familiar with this kind of machinery. i

After what has already been said of the construction, arrangement, and separate operations of the several parts, the general operation of the machine will be readily understood.V The main wheels, with their internal gears, drive the main shaft through. the medium of its pinions, and vit in turn imparts motion through the bevelgear and pinion to the crankshaft, which, by means of the crank and pitman, drives the'eutter-bar in the usual manner.

what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-is

l Hanging or pivoting the vibratory lifting-bar Q upon the crank-shaft,'substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

I also claim,\in combinationwith the vibrato'ry or lifting-bar Q, the stationary segment, travelling-pinion and hand-lever, or'its equivalent, by means of which thc'said hat Q may be readily manipulated by the driver, which at the same time itis free to move, as required, when not controlled by him, substantially as described. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and s'eal, this twenty-second day of November, 1867.

I G. W. N. YOST. [1.. s]

`Witnesses:

C. A. SCOTT, J. C. MCINTIRE.

Having fully explained my improved'machine, so that those skilled in the art can makeland use the same, 

